Monday, 17 December 2012

We’ve recently heard of some controls; some of ours
going elsewhere and those of others coming to us….

Back in June 2010 6232921, a Sedge Warbler, was caught in Dunes
du Mont St Frieux, Dannes, Pas-de-Calais, France. 284 days later, in May 2012
we caught 6232921 at a sunny Cardiff Bay. Meanwhile the Welsh-French connection was
reversed; we first ringed Reed Warbler X612793 at the bay at the beginning of August 2011. By the beginning of September,
34 days later in fact, the plucky traveller was caught at Braud et Saint
Louis, Gironde, France.

As you may recall, Vaf and Facey headed to Senegal back in
January, while they were there they caught Sedge Warbler 6693961, who had originally been ringed on migration
in Marais de Cap, Montmartin-en-Graignes, Manche, France 159 days
earlier. They also caught DYT538,
a Chiffchaff also ringed on migration in September 2011 but this time in
Blighty, wellIcklesham, East Sussex to be precise. This means
that in 2012 Vaf and Facey have dealt with SEDWAs on all three stages of their
life cycle; wintering, breeding and migration. Neat eh?!

Actually this is not 6693961 but is an actual Sedge Warbler, actually ringed in Senegal. By Vaf actually.

Saturday, 15 December 2012

News of recoveries arrived recently, which is always
a pleasure. However, we recommend you have a box of tissues to hand as death
and destruction is very much the theme:

We’ve not ringed many starlings at the Cardiff
Riding School so we were excited to see a recovery slip for LB09232. Sadly this adult female ringed in 2010 had
smacked in to a window. Now, the last “window collision” starling recovery of a
Cardiff ringed starling we had was from Lithuania. LB09232 however was obviously
too fond of Brains Dark and a Clark’s Pie as she smacked into a window within
the city limits, albeit 2km away from the Riding School, on 14 May 2012.

Two Fforest Farm ringed Great Spotted
Woodpeckers also met their end in Cardiff gardens. One was taken some
3km away (in Radyr for the local readership) by a sparrowhawk on 26 April 2012;
1551 days after it was ringed in 2008. The second was found worse for wear
within 1km of the reserve on 27 May 2012, 233 days after ringing. It sadly died
the same day.

Ringing gulls on Flat Holm is an experience.
Actually ringing gulls generally is an experience. One of the herring
gulls chicks we ringed on the cliffs of Flat Holm in 2011 was found
dead, but not fresh, in Dorset on 19 July 2012; 382 days and 89 km from
when/where we ringed it.

Mallard GR03883 was ringed at Cosmeston
Lakes as a health first year male in September 2011 with a life looked full of
promise – until he was shot 5km away in the Barry area.

Our Cosmeston Mute Swans haven’t fared much better:

Z21136was ringed as a second year inJanuary
2009. On 15 October 2012 it was found 19km away in Newport as little worse for
ware –The slip read “In care at Swan Sanctuary”. This is the first recovery of
one of our swans from the ‘Port. ZY5212
was among of 37 swans that died in the Cardiff area due to a disease;
it was found dead on 29 June 2012 Cardiff Bay 251 days and 4 km from where we
had ringed it.

W28928
originally ringed on10 June 2010 was found on 13
July 2011 at East Moors Cardiff(398
days, 7 km) having had a “Misadventure”. The bird crash landed and was sadly
put to sleep on 5 August 2011. W28914 didn’t fair much
better;
665 days after being ringed in 2010, it met its end on
14 January 2012, 31 km away Portishead Marina, North Somerset. It was put to
sleep after being attacked by a dog. W28948 also had a run in with a
dog on26 September 2012 (598 days Distance, 10 km). Luckily it
survived to tell the tale. Hopefully this dog owner has learnt their lesson and
will keep their dog under control (on the lead!) while near wildfowl.

W28515
was victim of the overhead wires on 23 January 2010
(yes bit of a while getting to us) in Chepstow. Having flown 44km form its
place of ringing, it was put to sleep on 18 February 2010. W28949 met
the same end and was found dead under the wires it hit 30 May 2012, 28 km away
inRackley, Compton Bishop, Somerset. Shame as markers on power lines reduces this sort of thing. W28528
was found
dead in 113km away in Powys, Mid Wales on09 July 2012. Cause
of death unknown. This was our first Mid Wales recovery –Diolch chaps!

We’d like to say thank you to the people who took
the time to report the rings of the birds they found; it’s very much appreciated.

Sunday, 2 December 2012

Keep it under your hat but the Blackbird Project may be heading into a productive patch; the last two outings to a newly established feeding station have resulted in TWO whole new BLABI's for the project. The last of these was the project's 25th Bird! Welcome aboard FH!